Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce
The first round began and Koscheck denied the glove touch. They don't like each other at all. Pierce shot for a single. Koscheck stuffed it to the clinch. Pierce kneed the thigh and again. Four minutes left. Koscheck kneed the body. Pierce landed a foot stomp and kneed the thigh. Koscheck kneed the body. The crowd began booing. Pierce broke with a right uppercut and a good right hand. Pierce flashed some jabs. They clinched there. The crowd booed as Pierce complained about Koscheck grabbing his shorts. Pierce kneed the leg and broke away. Pierce landed a double jab. Pierce landed a counter right and another right. Another. Koscheck landed a right and another. They were exchanging! Koscheck smiled and ate a stiff jab. Pierce blocked a high kick. Pierce landed a nice left hook. Koscheck landed a right hand and Pierce worked a single. Fifteen left. Koscheck stuffed it. He looked at the clock. The first round ended, 10-9 Pierce but very close. "You gotta be first and get in gear. That round was too close," Koscheck's corner told him. "You outscored him that round," Pierce's corner told him. The second round began and they touched gloves. Pierce landed a nicely timed counter right hand. Pierce worked a single. Four thirty as Koscheck defended. He landed two rights. The crowd booed. Koscheck worked the body with punches amidst more boos. Koscheck broke landing a right hand eating two right hands including an uppercut. Pierce landed a stiff jab. Pierce is outstriking Koscheck. Rogan choked up on saying Koscheck's name. Very comical. Maybe he's high as well. Three minutes as the crowd booed. Koscheck landed a right hand. They clashed heads. Pierce was cut bad over his right eye. Koscheck landed a right hand there nicely. Pierce landed a left hook. They clinched. "You're stronger than him, Mike!" Koscheck kneed the body. The crowd booed. Koscheck's nose was bloody there. Pierce landed a jab and ate one. Pierce ate an eyepoke and needed a moment. Koscheck received a warning from Herb Dean. They continued. Koscheck shot for his first double attempt and got it slamming down Pierce nicely. Koscheck was twisting Pierce up. This is grotesque. The crowd booed. Not much is going on here now. Pierce stood and broke away landing a left hook. Ten seconds left. The second round ended. 10-9 Koscheck but very close. Koscheck received another warning about the open fingers on his left fist causing eyepokes. The third round began. Koscheck landed a big counter right. He smiled. Pierce landed a jab. Koscheck defended a single, nope Pierce got it nicely to guard. Very impressive. Koscheck stood to the standing back position. He turned to the clinch. Three thirty. The crowd booed. Koscheck kneed the body. Koscheck broke with a left elbow. Koscheck landed a right uppercut. They clinched. Pierce landed a left uppercut. He kneed the body twice and they broke. Pierce had some swelling under the right eye. Koscheck landed a jab. Pierce landed a nice left hook. Koscheck shot for a single attempt. Pierce was defending well. The crowd booed. Pierce stuffed it. Herb Dean was being very impatient, as Rogan observed. The ref broke them up. Pierce ate another eyepoke coming in for a jab. Herb Dean was going to take another point. Koscheck received his "last warning." Pierce landed a jab. Pierce landed a right hand and ate a right hand himself countered. Koscheck stuffed a single. He landed a left hook to the body. Koscheck shot in and slammed Pierce with a double. The crowd booed. Chuck Liddell could be seen ringside watching closely. Pierce stood to the clinch with ten seconds. Pierce broke with a spinning elbow and they exchanged amidst... more boos? Wow. The third round ended. 10-9 Koscheck. 29-28 Koscheck in my opinion, but it was pretty close. It really depends on how the judges scored that second round. 29-28 Pierce, 29-28 Koscheck and... 29-28 for the split decision victor Josh Koscheck. Well done. The crowd booed of course.